Romance a la Food
by Lily-Finn178
Summary: Jun just wants Ren and his friends to each have a wonderful love life. So how's buying a new restuarant going to help? And why is Faust the chef! YxA RxP HxT Discontinued
1. Chapter 1: The Plan

Chapter1 

The Plan

One winter's day, one snow-falling, children sledding winter day, Faust the eighth was just settling into his favorite armchair to read his new book on necromancy. But just as he opened the book and plopped it into his lap, the one phone atop the mantel above the fireplace rang. The necromancer sighed, disappointed that his reading would have to wait for something as simple as a telephone call, got up from his comfortable position and picked up the phone.

"Guten tag?" the docter asked into the receiver.

A female voice replied once it knew he was there, "Faust, it's Tao Jun. I was wondering whether or not if you could come over as soon as possible."

"Whatever for, Jun-san?" Faust looked back to the armchair where his book sat, awaiting him to read it. "I really have things to do."

The Tao daughter growled back, "Faust, what I have in mind is even better than sitting around and reading your stupid book. So get over here _now_."

The other line went dead. Faust put down the phone, looking sadly into the fire. A spirit appeared next to him, the only thing remaining of his beloved deceased wife, Eliza.

"What shall you do?" the spirit asked lightly, laying a hand on her husband's shoulder. Faust looked into her tender eyes and sighed, "I shall go see what she wants."

With that said, the necromancer quickly ran to the foyer and grabbed his coat from the coat rack by the door.

"I'm glad you could come, Faust. I actually thought you wouldn't come. Now, to business." Tao Jun closed the door of the sunroom that she had led Faust into. She did not want her brother, Ren, to figure out what she was up to.

"What exactly is business, Jun?" Faust looked into the cup of green tea that had been placed before him. When he looked back at Jun, the necromancer found the woman grinning back at him. She placed a sheet of paper across the table so he could look at it.

"What is this?" Faust looked over the paper, but on it, all he saw was a picture of a little Chinese restaurant in between two other shops. Also on the paper was a description of the inside of the restaurant.

"It's a restaurant up for sale, Faust. Or, it was up for sale until I bought it this afternoon. I have a plan. A good one, if I do say so myself." Jun set down the cup she was drinking out of. "I've decided I want to meddle with people my brother's age. To be precise, I want to meddle in their love life. Most teens cannot find someone to love, which is why I think we can help them."

"How?" The docter reviewed the plan over in his mind. It sounded pretty decent. It was going to help teens with getting to know people of the opposite genders.

"Oh, I'll tell you along the way. But the only way I can carry out my plan is if I have _you_ to help me. I need you to help Bailong cook the food." Once the woman saw the disappointed look on the necromancer's face, she added, "Well, I need you to make some potion that we can put in the food to make teens fall in love with each other. So how about it? Are we partners?"

Faust stared at the sheet of paper, staring intently at the little restaurant. Then, when he looked up at Jun again, and took his hand in hers, all while saying, "Partners."


	2. Chapter 2: The Boys

hello! i was really bored, so i thought i should update another chapter...

Disclaimer: i do not own shaman king (though i wish i owned ren evil smirk>)

Chapter 2

The Boys

Tao Ren awoke the next morning with a start. His older sister, Jun, was smiling down at him sweetly, which set off the warning alarms in his head. She wouldn't be smiling that sweetly if she didn't want something from him.

"Ren-chan, dear little brother. I have a favor to ask of you." Jun said, ever the pleasant one.

Ren was jolted out of his sleepiness and into a state of awareness. He snapped rudely, "Don't call me 'Ren-chan' ever again!"

"Oh, but dear little brother, won't you do my favor? It'd mean a great thing to me." Jun said, her patience thinning. "I just got a new restaurant yesterday. I'd hoped that you would clean the floors for me."

The boy did not answer. He did not want to be woken up at quarter to eight just to clean the stupid floors of his stupid sister's stupid restaurant. Ren liked the word 'stupid' and he often referred to it when he described something.

The siblings glared at each other for quite sometime, until Jun declared, her voice laced with pure anger, "You _will_ clean the floors of my restaurant. So you had better hurry up and get dressed because I am leaving in _fifteen minutes._"

"I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE LEAVING BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING!" Ren yelled as she slammed his bedroom door closed. He glared at the door and covered himself with his blanket, deciding he would go back to sleep.

Although he had declared he wasn't going with her, Ren found himself fifteen minutes later in Jun's restaurant, a broom in his hand as he swept the floors. He cursed under his breath with each sweep, which was an awful lot of cussing considering it had taken him an hour to sweep the whole kitchen. When the clock struck nine, he took a break to eat and go home for a bit. But when it came around to be ten, he was called down to the restaurant once again to sweep the dining area of the restaurant.

As he was sweeping the dining area, a giggle erupted from the door of the restaurant. When he looked, he saw a blue-headed beauty, from which he quickly turned his face away from. He knew the girl, along with the other girl that followed alongside her.

At school, Ren was in a martial arts club. It just so happened that there was a certain idiot that came to jeer at the club members every time that there was training session. Ren usually beat the idiot up at the training sessions, much to every club members' joy. But it just so happens that the idiot's little sister was the one and only girl Ren had found himself to become fond of. And the girl that just so happened to be giggling at the door, was that certain idiot's little sister, along with her best friend.

"Oh, look at this, Ren!" he heard Jun's voice at the door. "We just opened and already we have customers! Isn't this a joyous day for us all?"

More giggles. Ren was about to break the broom he was holding in half, on account of his sister embarrassing him in front of the girl he adored.

"Oh, no, Miss. We were just simply passing by and admiring the place. We haven't any more money left on us." Pirika answered in an innocent voice that Ren knew was totally fake. There was no way Pirika was as sweet and innocent as she led people to believe.

"Then another time, perhaps?" Jun said in a false voice of setback. The girls giggled and walked away.

But Pirika would not walk away without saying goodbye, which she did, by yelling, "BYE-BYE TAO REN! I HOPE YOU HAVE FUN AT YOUR NEW JOB!"

Ren grimaced as Jun looked at him curiously. He then knew what the girls were giggling at. Him. And he did not like it one bit.

He threw down the broom angrily and ran out the door, going the opposite way the girls had walked.

Asakura Yoh was a popular, easy-going young man. He never made anybody cry and in reverse, tried to cheer them up when they were blue. He had a lot of friends and all his teachers loved him. When he got time off of things, he did some of his favorite things: sleep, listen to music, hang out with his friends, and be his lazy self. But there was one thing he'd never mention to people other than his friends, or say aloud, in fear for his life.

About a year before that present day, the house next to his had been put up for sale, and several weeks later, it was sold. And to his glee, a girl his age moved in. He remembered that day as much as he remembered his hands in front of his face. The girl had stepped out of the vehicle her aunt drove in, wearing a black dress, regardless of the warm, summer day. And a red bandana had been tied loosely around her neck. Her skin was as pale as a white rose and her coal black eyes stuck out of her beautiful face.

At the time they had arrived at the house, Yoh had been playing in the backyard with his twin brother, Hao. When he heard the car drive onto the gravel of the driveway, he rushed to see his new neighbors. When he saw the girl, he smiled and waved at her. She gave him the cold shoulder and pretended not to notice him. Yet, Yoh still tried. He climbed over the fence separating the two yards and walked up to the girl. He had tried to start a conversation. Still, the girl gave him the cold shoulder. She had told him to go away before she would hurt him. Yoh didn't listen. He was so intent on learning more about her that he still stood his ground near her. When he didn't listen to her warning, she had punched him and walked into the house. Obviously, from that day forward, she didn't like Yoh.

That didn't mean that Yoh didn't like her.

In fact, as he learned more about her from school, Yoh got more intrigued. Yet, that had turned into a crush. And that crush had turned into love. And to that present day, Yoh still loved Anna, though he'd never admit it to her or anybody else for that matter.

That present day, Yoh was waiting for Kyouyama Anna outside her house. It was Thursday, a school day. Yoh had started this routine long ago. Every morning he'd get ready for school then wait for Anna to come out of her house for school and they'd walk to school together. Or rather, she'd walk as fast as she could to the school while he'd follow several meters behind her. And if he so happened to catch up to her, she'd smack him upside the head, and he'd slow down once again.

But that morning, Anna did not come out of the house. Since she wasn't exiting the house, Yoh gathered all his courage and walked up to the front steps. But just as he placed his foot upon the first step, the door opened, and out walked Anna, clad in her school uniform and a nasty scowl on her face. When she saw Yoh standing before her, her scowl deepened and she brushed past him towards the sidewalk. The boy followed as fast as he could and caught up with her, saying hesitantly, "You took a long time today. I-I got worried."

Anna didn't say anything, but instead stared at the cement sidewalk. A look crossed her face that Yoh did not know. Seldom times she ever made such a face, yet he never knew what it meant. But, usually after Anna made that look, he was punched, which is why he slowed his pace so he could get away before she struck.

But to his surprise, Anna slowed down with him, so their walking was at the same pace. Yoh smiled, yet Anna did not look up, causing him to frown. Sometimes, Anna did her little trick, where she'd slow down to walk with him, or speed up her walking to get away from him. It confused Yoh but then again, almost anything confused him.

As soon as they got to school, Anna ran away, heading to her homeroom class before anyone could spot them. Yoh sighed disappointedly and headed to his own classroom. When he got there, he sat at his desk and laid his head on the desk for a nap. But as always, his nap was interrupted by one of his best friends banging on his brunette head.

"Yoh! Wake up! There's no time for a nap today, my good chap." Horo-horo, the blue-headed Ainu said, pounding his fist on Yoh's head eagerly.

When Yoh rose his head, Horo saw tears treading their way down his cheeks. The Ainu sighed and hit Yoh's head once again, saying, "There's no time for whining about how your head hurts, either! This is urgent!"

"How so?" Yoh said, then he blinked, for standing behind the Ainu was another good friend of his, Tamao, who had just entered the room. He raised his hand in a wave, "Hello, Tamao."

The Ainu spied the pink-headed girl and quickly turned his head to face Yoh again, a slight pink haze covering his cheeks.

"It concerns You-know-who." Horo whispered to his friend, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to indicate Tamao.

Once again, the brunette blinked. He had forgotten who You-know-who was. Scratching his head in utter confusion he laughed sheepishly, "Who's that again?"

Horo had had enough of Yoh's stupidness that day so far (even though on any other given day it would be his _own_ stupidness that he'd be fed up with) and dragged his friend out into the hall.

"I want to ask Tamao out." The bluenette quickly confessed.

Suddenly, Yoh remembered who Horo was talking about. Tamao. How could he be so stupid? Horo had confessed thousands of times as to who he liked. And of all the things Yoh had to always forget, it was who his friend liked.

"And I wanted your opinions on my actions. Do you think I should, or is it still too early?" Horo shook Yoh by the shoulders, desperately wanting some kind of answers before the bell rung.

"Um…I have no clue, Horo. I have no knowledge in that field." Yoh answered sheepishly, glancing down the hall.

Horo shook his head. Both he and Yoh had no knowledge in any kind of field, well, except food.

"What can I say? We're both complete idiots!" Horo said, linking his arm around Yoh's shoulders and steering him back into the classroom.

"Yeah…" Yoh responded, although he had no clue as to what he was responding too. Something down the hall had caught his eye and he paid more attention to it than to his friend. He stared at the blonde head for several seconds until their eyes came in contact. But just as they made eye contact, she turned her head away, walking into her own classroom, leaving Yoh to sigh in utter disappointment.

Horo-horo, champion at eating and A+ student in stupidity, was having quite a dilemma in his love life. For quite some time after the freshman year, the Ainu had been infatuated with something other than food: Tamao. And two years later, during the present senior year, he was still _very_ fond of her. There was just one tiny detail that kept him from asking her out on a date.

Tamao loved Yoh Asakura.

And this, as it so happens, turned out to be very hard for the Ainu. For one, he got upset because the girls Horo liked always liked Yoh. Two, it pained Horo to see Tamao so heartbroken every time the brunette glanced so lovingly at the Ice Queen. And three, he didn't want to tell Tamao that Yoh would most likely never like her more than a friend.

But Horo tried not to let it show, always putting on a happy masquerade to hide his sad feelings whenever he saw Tamao. Tough, lately, it was becoming harder and harder for him to do it, even though he had been at it for nearly three years.

But Horo was finally gaining courage. That day, he was going to ask her out. He was sure of that much. There was only one tiny thing that kept him from actually going up to the pink-headed girl and asking her. And that was her response.

Horo didn't know how she'd react if he told her how he felt. And he felt that if she didn't return his feelings that his whole world would come to a stop.

That day, though, he risked the stopping of his world and walked up to her at lunch and pulled her aside. Tamao always sat by his little sister at lunch. And Horo-horo did not want Pirika to overhear what he had to say to Tamao.

He led Tamao into the hall. When he stopped to look at her, he regretted ever asking her to talk with him. She was beautiful, to say the least, with her short pink hair surrounding her cute, rounded face. Beautiful eyes gleamed in the light of the hallway up at him and the Ainu could feel himself being absorbed into them.

Finally, he snapped himself out of his daze when Tamao asked politely, "Horo-san, what is it?"

Horo-horo couldn't speak. All the words were locked up in his throat. He stuttered but the words would still not come out. He felt as though he were drowning.

"Horo-san, are you all right? You look pale." Tamao pointed out shyly, a light blush filling her cheeks. Something he loved about her: how much she blushed at the little things.

The Ainu nodded and stuttered, "T-Tamao, I…I really l-like…you."

There. He had said it. No harm done. All that was left was…

"What?" Tamao stepped back, her blush deepening. She stared shyly at the tiles on the floor. In fact, both of them did at that moment. It was the weirdest thing for the both of them. Tamao had been Pirika's friend since middle school, and to her, Horo-horo was just like a big brother. And all that time, Horo-horo had watched from afar, falling in love with everything she did or said.

The Ainu repeated, "I really, really like…You—ee. I really like Yui. From our physical education class."

Tamao blinked and then sighed, "Oh, Yui. Why are you telling me?"

Horo took the chance to glance up from the floor. Tamao was staring at him with a confused look.

"Would you tell me how to make her like me?" _Nice one, Stupid. You've one the noble prize with that plan, _he scolded himself mentally.

Reluctantly, the pink-headed girl replied, "A-all right, Horo-san. If you want, I could go to your house tonight and help you. Is that okay?"

Horo-horo's head jolted up in excitement. "Yes, that'd be g-great. Thank you. Thank you so much!"

And as he watched Tamao walk back into the cafeteria, the Ainu said aloud, "Maybe I just might win the noble prize with this plan."

there it is...this chapter! ta da! not so great but that's okay! leave a review before i sick my imaginary friend Koushiro on you!

Koushiro: (foaming at the mouth)

trust me...you don't want me to let him loose! SO REVIEW! (heehee greedy me!)


	3. Chapter 3: The Girls

Chapter 3

The Girls

Pirika helped herself to another serving of tomato soup from the lunch lady. Just like her older brother, she loved food. And just like Horo-horo, she did not like Tao Ren (or at least, she pretended not to like him). And he just so happened to be standing behind her in the lunch line.

"Planning on getting fatter? Or are you trying to cut down from the usual five bowls a day?" The scornful Chinese boy asked in his annoying voice.

If she wasn't in school, Pirika just might have punched him.

"I'm hungry, Tao Ren. Isn't it all right for people to eat in this country?" she answered in a voice just as scornful as his.

"I guess, if you're a pig." He chuckled, grabbing a turkey sandwich. Pirika glanced at the boy's plate. On it, were the turkey sandwich, soup, and two cartons of milk.

The girl pointed to the milk and asked, "And I'm overdoing it? What about you? You know, there aren't a lot of cows out there. You could be causing them to go into extinction."

Ren stuck his nose in the air defiantly, "I need milk to make me stronger. Unlike you, I don't get fatter when I have more than one serving of milk."

An awkward silence fell over the two. Once realizing that what he said was an insult, Pirika stomped away from the lunch line. She could put up with his mocking no longer. It was no wonder that Horo and Ren always got into fights with each other.

But as she sat in her usual spot at her lunch table, she sighed. Pirika hated it when Ren acted like that. So, that meant she hated him all the time. There was only one thing keeping her from knocking his block off every time they passed each other in the halls.

_Love…_

_Where did that come from?_ Pirika asked herself. There was no possible way that she could ever _love_ Tao Ren. He was annoying, mean, cold, and…_He has a nice body_

She mentally kicked herself. Where had _that_ come from? If there's one thing that she'd never admit to, saying Tao Ren's body was nice was it. And she'd never admit that she wanted to run her hands through his tongari to see if it was as soft as it looked, either. Or that she often thought about him. Or that she dreamt about him, too. In fact, she'd never admit to anybody how much she liked Tao Ren.

Not only would Ren tease her more, or avoid her, but Horo-horo would be mad. He'd go ballistic if he found out. He'd make sure that Pirika could never see Ren ever again. He'd kill Tao Ren.

"I hate my life." Pirika groaned as she banged her head on the lunch table.

* * *

What was it? This feeling of total sadness and hurt? But there was also happiness in this feeling. Happiness and…was it harmony? It was a bunch of positive and negative emotions blended into one big kettle. She didn't know and she acted as though she didn't care. 

But, somewhere deep inside her, she must have at least a _clue_ as to what she was feeling. And every time she thought she had grasped what it was, it slipped through her fingers like water.

_I wish it were ice. Ice has a tendency to _not_ slip through one's fingers,_ she told herself as she had brushed her hair that morning. After she had placed the brush on her dresser, she looked hesitantly out the window. _He_ was there, waiting for her. And all at once, the feeling hit her so strongly that she felt she would be sick. It made her want to stay home, to not have to see him, so she took an extra long time getting ready for school. She had hoped he would have left, but he didn't and when she saw him on the steps, a sudden feeling of anger mixed with joy overwhelmed her.

Anna hated that she only felt the feeling when _he_ was there. That confused her even more than the mysterious feeling.

And she hated that only near _him_ was when she'd let her composure slip. But just a little.

Later that day, she saw him again in the hall at lunch. He was talking to that stupid Ainu friend of his. She always felt that his friends were major idiots with capital 'I' s. But from what she saw, his friends meant a lot to him. Sometimes it made her angry to see them chatting so calmly to him and laughing and joking and just having fun with him. But on rare occasions, she felt sad, as if her chest was going to burst open. Why couldn't she chat and laugh and joke and have fun with him? Why couldn't she be his friend?

Because she was the Ice Queen. She didn't show emotions nor have fun. She ignored people, she beat people, she insulted people. Never had she ever said anything nice to anyone, or laughed or even smiled for that matter. She was completely ice. Nothing would break her cool. Nothing would break down the walls around her cold, ice heart.

Not even that idiot Yoh Asakura.

Anna had decided this while she was eating her chips at lunch. Usually at lunch, Yoh would stop by for a split second and try and start a conversation. The Ice Queen would always ignore him, but secretly in her mind, she'd answer every question he asked and respond to anything he said, hoping he'd somehow hear it telepathically.

But today, Yoh did not show at his usual time, which was always ten minutes before the bell rang. Anna had finished eating by the time there was five minutes left until the next class period. Yoh still was not there. Five minutes later, when the bell rang and Anna left the cafeteria for her next class, the boy still hadn't shown.

_I guess, _Anna thought sadly (though she didn't know why), _He finally gave up on me. _

But he had not given up on her.

In sixth period Social Studies, Anna was given a note. It was at the beginning of the class, as she entered. Yoh stood at the door, waiting for somebody. Obviously, he was waiting for Anna. Before she could brush by him like always, he slipped a piece of folded paper into her pocket. He received a harsh glare that read, '_How dare you be so bold_.'

And because the teacher was droning on and on, Anna just couldn't resist the urge to read the note. When she was positive that the teacher wasn't watching her, she took the note out of her pocket and there, in Yoh's messy handwriting, it said:

Anna-

I was wondering if you were doing something after school. Because if you aren't doing anything, I wanted to know if you would like to come with my friends and me to this new restaurant that opened a couple of days ago. If you want to go, meet us at the front gates after school. Please come with us Anna.

-Yoh

She wanted to tear up the note into several pieces. She didn't know why, it was just one of those rare feelings she got when he talked about his friends. Anger just built up inside her when she saw them or heard them. Especially when they were with him, which was almost every second. 

After scribbling down her answer on a piece of notebook paper she tore from her binder, Anna glanced over her shoulder. Yoh sat two seats and a row over from her. He was watching her closely. That was good. She stooped over and placed the note on the ground when the teacher wasn't looking but when the teacher was turning her way, Anna slid the note across the floor to Yoh.

Yoh, being as stupid as he was, picked the note up and unfolded it just as the teacher glanced at his row. The teacher, seeing him read the note with a very confused look on his face, walked to Yoh's desk and grabbed the paper out of his clutches.

"Mister Asakura, we do not read notes in this class unless they are related to history." The teacher scolded. Yoh looked terrified as the teacher unfolded the note and read it aloud. " 'Yoh Asakura, you are such a jerk. How could you call our perfect history teacher, Mr. Obanna-sama, a fat, pig-faced weasel? You're so cruel!' "

The entire class gasped, all thinking the same thing: _That kid's going to get a detention for sure._ The teacher glared down at Yoh with such rage in his eyes that everyone thought he would explode. And poor Yoh Asakura wanted to sink in his seat at that moment, wishing for the world that he had waited until the end of class to ask Anna to the new restaurant Ren told him about. Several seats and a row over, Anna Kyouyama tried to conceal the smug smirk that tugged at the corners of her mouth.

* * *

"She _what_?" Tamao asked her good friend and crush Yoh Asakura. The boy had detention that day and the next week because of what Anna did. He had just got done finishing explaining it to all his friends, who all pretty much were very mad at Anna that moment. 

But no one was as mad as Tamao. Why did Anna do that? All Yoh did was give her a friendly invitation to Jun's new restaurant. He didn't tell her to go fall off a cliff or something like that. And Yoh still liked her! Where did she get the nerve to get Yoh into trouble and still get to keep his heart?

"I said she fooled the teacher into believing I called him a fat, pig-faced weasel." Yoh sighed once again.

It puzzled Tamao. How could Yoh still go on liking Anna if she was so cruel to him day after day? How could he put up with it? Getting in trouble day after day because of her and still being able to dream about that cruel person at night? It confused everybody willing enough to even accept the fact that Yoh liked—no _loved_—the _Ice Queen_. And despite that he told everyone he didn't love her, it was as transparent as glass that he did.

"I have to go guys. Mr. Obanna-sama wants me to write a five page apology letter to him by the end of tomorrow." Yoh sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that day.

Tamao wanted to know what he was thinking. Was he still thinking about inviting Anna to the restaurant? Or was he thinking about just forgetting about her? The pink-headed girl wished he was thinking about the latter.

"Ah, don't worry about it, Yoh. Tamao and I can get to the restaurant by ourselves. Pirika and Ren already went ahead." The bluenette Ainu reassured him, patting Tamao's head. The girl blushed at the contact, but she assured herself that it was just a friendly, brother-like pat. Nothing more.

The two left Yoh, heading towards the front gates, where a sight they had least expected to see surprised them. The Ice Queen herself was waiting patiently on a bench in the hall, near the classroom. She had her legs crossed and she wrote an answer on a piece of paper she was working on for homework.

The two stood a meter away from the bench, flabbergasted. What was the Ice Queen doing there? Surely she had a home to go to after school. Both of them knew that she lived right next door to Yoh, as Yoh himself had pointed out several times since she moved to the city a year before.

As they walked by, Anna gave them death glares and returned to her homework. They tried not to stare in curiosity but failed to do so. To see the Ice Queen waiting in the hall, outside the very classroom Yoh was sitting in, was such a marvel. It had to be the most odd thing of the century.

As they passed the front gates after witnessing Anna waiting (most likely for Yoh), Tamao cleared her throat. She regretted it once Horo-horo looked over at her questioningly and felt herself blush at his gaze.

"How am I going to help you make Yui like you?" Tamao asked in a soft whisper. A sudden feeling bubbled at the pit of her stomach. The same thing happened when Horo-horo first asked her to help him. She didn't know what it was, but she didn't like it.

That was one of the feelings today she experienced but didn't like. There was another one she felt when she thought Horo-horo had said he liked her. After he said the words 'I like you' and she thought it was directed to her, she felt giddy and excited, as light as a feather. She had gotten confused and thought that maybe he lost track of what he was saying or got her mixed up with Yui. They looked similar, so it could be possible.

"I just need you to find out what she likes and dislikes and what she feels about me. The usual things." Horo-horo shrugged. For someone who liked Yui, he sure didn't look or act like he cared for her.

Tamao nodded and kept her eyes on the ground. Then she noticed that Horo-horo was no longer walking beside her. She looked up and to her sides, worry taking its toll. Just as she was about to have a heart attack thinking Horo-san was kidnapped, she looked behind her and saw him standing in the middle of the road, a bundle of fur in his hands. Tamao sighed with relief as he came running back to her.

"Look, Tamao!" Horo-horo smiled brightly as he caught up to where she was standing. He held out the bundle in his hands, and Tamao saw that there were two bundles of fur, not one. They were two small kittens, meowing lightly.

Tamao cooed and traveled her hands over their soft fur in a light pet. The meowed more. "Horo-san! They're so cute!"

Horo-horo's smile broadened, if that were possible, causing Tamao to blush and look at the ground. "They could have been run over by a car if they stayed on the road any longer. You saved them, Horo-san."

Horo scratched his head and laughed sheepishly. "I'm no hero. I just saw them and thought you'd like them."

Tamao's head was as red as a tomato. "You…saved them for me, Horo-san?"

Horo-horo looked even more sheepish. "Yeah. Unless you don't want them. I can always have Pirika take them to an animal shelter or something…"

The pink-haired girl picked up one of the kittens and kissed its furry head. She smiled shyly and told him, "That's all right, Horo-san. I like them."

She was startled a little by the pink haze on his cheeks and the sudden embarrassment that came over him, but she didn't let it show. He cleared his throat and, with the other kitten in his hand, grabbed her hand and led her forward. "Pirika and Ren are probably wondering where we are. We shouldn't keep them waiting. And I want to see what kind of food is at this new restaurant."

* * *

well, there is chapter 3! took me forever because i had a serious case of writer's block...but suddenly i was cured and finished this! yay! except now i have writer's block again and don't know where to go from here...all i know is that in the next chapter, they all go to the restaurant! bwahaha...what horrors awai them there...? 


	4. Chapter 4: The Restaurant

woohoo! i finished this chappie in 1 day! 1 DAY! YAY 4 ME! anyways, this story has over 400 hits, even though there r only 6 reviews 4 it. so im only going to update once i get more reviews!

thanks to my reviewers! i hope u like this chap. i personally think it is the best so far!

ENJOY!

* * *

Romance 'a la Food

Chapter 4

The Restaurant

* * *

"Beef Chow Me…" Pirika trailed off, staring at the word on the menu, deciphering how it was pronounced. A low growl escaped from her throat as she stared at the menu with devil like eyes. Ren sweat-dropped. If she stared any harder, he could have sworn the menu would burst into flames. Giving up, she flung the menu at Ren's head and screamed, "I can't read freakin' Chinese!"

"Mein. It's Beef Chow Mein, you dumb girl. Any fool can pronounce that, I assure you." Ren had caught the menu that had been flung at his head, but he was angry because that menu just happened to give him a paper cut. Tao Ren did not like paper cuts. Especially ones that were caused by some dumb girl throwing menus at his head. "And I thought you said there weren't a lot cows out there. They could be going into extinction because of you."

Pirika glared at him. Who died and let him use her own words against her? "Don't you aggravate me. Horo-horo will pummel your ass if you do!" _Right after I pummel his ass for making me have to go to this stupid restaurant with stupid Ren._

The Chinese boy sighed and muttered under his breath, "I hope you get mad cow disease."

Pirika, although she heard the comment, chose to ignore it. Maybe she could just ignore this boy until her brother got there. She looked closely at the menu and sighed. "I'll just get the Sweet & Sour Pork."

"Pig." The boy mumbled. Pirika sent him a death glare. Ren glanced at the menu, and said, "I'll be right back." He got up, leaving Pirika all alone as he made his way to the kitchen, where he knew Jun would be.

Pirika glanced down at her hands on the table. Where was Horo-horo? Why hadn't he come yet? What was taking him so long? She knew he had to get Tamao and Yoh, possibly Anna if Yoh had convinced her to come. But she also knew it wouldn't take him this long. He should have been at the restaurant fifteen minutes ago when she had arrived with Ren.

The Ainu girl reflected on the walk to the restaurant. It had consisted of Ren walking too fast for her taste, her walking too slow for his taste, him shoving people out of the way, her almost getting run over several times, and him constantly shouting or mumbling insults. Pirika could have sworn she heard him say, 'She's just like her baka brother' once after she tripped over a dirty lollipop on the road.

_It just figures that the one guy I like has to be the one who is my sole enemy. I hate irony,_ she closed her eyes as she rested her head on her hands. She started to hum a tune she had heard that morning when she got up. Pirika felt that humming was one way to relax herself when she was stressed. And for her, being alone with Tao Ren while he insulted and humiliated her was stressing.

_Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. I'll have to buy something yummy once I go home._ Pirika thought excitedly. Maybe Ren's sister had some special Chinese chocolate cake or pie hiding somewhere in the restaurant. Or better yet, a special Chinese chocolate cake _and_ pie. She salivated at the thought.

While in her dazed state, Pirika had not noticed that Ren had come out of the kitchen. As he made his way back to the table, he glanced at Pirika's face. Usually, he'd stop himself before he got the urge to look at her. But her eyes were closed, so he guessed it'd be okay. She didn't know that he'd be staring at her with a foreign expression on his face that he didn't like people to see.

He sat back down on his chair quietly, so as not to clue her in that he was back. He placed his arm on the table and propped his head on his fist, staring at her. The Ainu girl's red lips were cast upward in a small, secretive smile. He wondered about what she was thinking, or if she was thinking about someone. From the look on her face, she must have been thinking about something or someone she adored very much.

Startling the Tao, Pirika opened her eyes halfway in a dreamy state. She reached for her purse, a very expensive, cute purse that she had received from Tamao on her last birthday (Ren only knew about this because he had been at her birthday party, forced there by that baka of a Ainu she called her big brother), and pulled out her wallet. She counted her money and sighed in defeat. The Ainu girl went on to mumble, "I think Horo spent the last of his money on those doughnuts this morning."

She hadn't noticed she had company yet. Ren tapped his fingers on the table, staring at her with a bored expression. "Why do you need money?"

Pirika jumped back, her chair tipping over a bit. Just as she was about to fall on the floor, she righted herself and screamed, "Tao! How dare you get the nerve to scare me like that. I could've died of a heart attack!"

"Exactly."

"So you want me to die?"

_Never_. "That was my intent."

"You're so cruel, Tao Ren."

_I wish I could show you I wasn't._ "Exactly."

Pirika exhaled sharply, crossing her arms over her chest in a childlike manner. "Go jump off a bridge, Ren."

_If it'll make you happy_. "You didn't answer my question. Why do you need money?"

The Ainu girl got that dreamlike look in her eyes as she peered out of the window she was facing. Clasping her hands together on the table, she answered, "I wanted to get some short cakes once we were done here."

Ren's eyes widened just a bit. It amazed him how much she admired food of any kind. She was just like her brother, in a way.

Except Horo never made him feel happy whenever he was around. Horo never made him feel so guilty and…heartless whenever Ren insulted him. Horo didn't make him feel any of the things he felt whenever Pirika was around.

They were silent after that. It was uncomfortable. They had never been so quiet before in each other's presence. Usually, it was they insulted each other and then one of them left in a pout. But they couldn't leave, because Horo-horo would complain that they hadn't saved them a table. And hearing Horo-horo complain was annoying. Also, Ren had just had a hell of a time telling the cooks their order, and then yelling at them when they didn't make their order fast enough.

Pirika stared at the window, and was delighted to see a blue-headed figure walking down the street with a pink-headed girl. She let out a breath and squealed, "Horo-horo's here!" She rushed out of the restaurant to scream at her baka of a big brother.

* * *

Tao Jun watched as the docter poured some red liquid over Ren and Pirika's orders. The liquid seemed to melt into the food as Faust poured about a pint of the red liquid onto each dish. He laughed evilly as the bottle he was holding emptied. Jun and Bailong stared at each other nervously. This plan had better work for the better. She didn't want Ren to complain about her meddling with his life. Again…

She took the dishes away from Faust, inching away slowly as though he would attack her if she moved too quickly. She handed the dishes to Bailong, who she watched as he delivered the dishes to Ren's table. Pirika was outside, screaming at her brother. Ren was staring blankly at the wall as Bailong set his order in front of him.

Pirika came back inside the restaurant, and was delighted to see that their food had arrived. She sat down and picked up her chop sticks along with Ren. Jun giggled as she watched the two each take their first bite.

* * *

"No fair! Pirika already got her food. Where's mine?" Horo-horo whined as he watched his little sister take her first bite.

The Ainu girl chewed her sweet and sour pork slowly and thoughtfully before she squealed in delight, "It's delicious! The best Chinese I ever tasted!" She turned to the Chinese boy across from her. "I'll have to compliment Jun on such a fine dish. It's like being in heaven." She stared into space with that dreamy look, a huge, goofy smile on her face. Ren only nodded in agreement. Pirika, noticing he hadn't yet insulted her on being a pig, asked politely, "What did you get, Ren?"

He looked startled at her question. Why shouldn't he be? She was speaking to him in a manner that was neither hostile nor insulting. "Vegetable Lo Mein." He answered in a low tone. He adverted his eyes to his plate for a second, and when he looked back up, Pirika was looking back at him still with the same smile plastered on her flawless face. Ren felt his cheeks heat up, but he did not remove his gaze from the Ainu girl. She was acting strange.

And yet, despite that fact, she was still breathtakingly beautiful…

Ren reined his thoughts. He didn't like to think those kind of things about his enemy's little sister. Even if she did like him (and something like that was as foolish and crazy as Horo-horo and Yoh wearing hula skirts and coconut bras while doing the electric slide), there was no way in hell that Horo would allow them to date each other. In fact, Horo would probably poison Ren's food right that second if he ever got a clue that Ren liked his baby sister. Also, there was the fact that Pirika didn't go out with guys like him, the guys she labeled as 'arrogant obnoxious jackasses'.

Or, in his case, 'The Arrogant, Obnoxious, Really Egotistic Nincompoop'.

He should feel really special because she made an acronym out of his name. On the other hand, he really didn't like being called a nincompoop.

* * *

Yoh loved detention. Considering that he had detention almost every week of the school year because he kept falling asleep in class, he just had to be used to detention. Normally, the other students in detention with him worked on homework or graded assignments for their detention teacher. But, Yoh, being Yoh, chose to sleep. Because Yoh liked to sleep. And Yoh would never give up an hour of sleeping time, even though he had to write a five-page apology to his teacher.

But Yoh, being Yoh, wasn't worried about the five-page apology. If he was nice enough, he could get Hao to talk to the teacher and ask for a one-page apology instead. But knowing Hao, he'd probably threaten the teacher with a very accusing picture that could be shown to the teacher's wife at any time if he didn't agree to let Asakura Yoh off the hook. Because Hao, being Hao, just had to do things the complicated way.

By the time detention was over, Yoh was in a deep slumber, dreaming about a land filled evil killer ponies that tried to eat the orange princess, and Yoh was the orange prince that had to save the orange princess from the evil killer ponies' killer pet ogres. It was a tragic dream, one that left Yoh whimpering in his sleep. That is, until someone decided to push his drooling, sleeping form off his desk.

Yoh awoke to find he was lying on the dirty classroom floor, drool crawling from the corner of his mouth and Anna towering over him with a vicious glare set on her face. Her mouth was a thin line on her face, and she seemed like she was going to say something. But they stared quietly at each other instead. Well, Anna glared, while Yoh stared at her with a dazed, sleepy stare.

"Are you going to get up or not, you moron?" Anna asked, rolling her eyes as she turned away from him.

Yoh nodded, still dazed from his sleep and the surprise that she was still at the school. He followed her out of the classroom and out of the school. When she stopped at the gate and turned to face him, he cowered, fearing that she'd kill him with that menacing scowl. "Well? Are you going to take me to this restaurant or not?" she snapped.

The brunette scratched his head. Anna let out a breath of agitation before he quickly remembered the restaurant Ren had told him about. He nodded his head as an answer to her question, his carefree smile bright. The two stood there, silent.

Anna let out another breath. Then, gathering up her strength, she punched him squarely in the face. She yelled at him, "Start walking then, idiot! Take me to the stupid restaurant. It's five o'clock and I'm hungry!" She shook him by the front of his shirt as if to emphasize her point before throwing him into the ground.

Giving a sheepish smile, Yoh's voice faltered. "Umm…uh…A-Anna…"

"What?" the girl snapped.

"I…I don't…know where it is."

* * *

"Ah, Tamao! You've gotta try this. Try it, try it!" Horo-horo smiled widely as he pushed his chopsticks towards the pink-haired girl. He had just tried the chicken subgum chow mein, and its taste was so amazing that he just had to have his crush taste it also.

Tamao laughed shyly, her laugh like music to the Ainu's ears that sent tingles up and down his spine and what not. She went to say something to him, but as soon as her mouth was open, he plopped the food into her mouth. She blushed at the thought that she was eating off his chopsticks as she chewed the food thoughtfully like Pirika had. Nodding her head in agreement with Horo on the food's good taste, she found it was hard to form words. She _had_ just eaten off of a boy's utensils. It was like an indirect kiss. Her first indirect kiss, to be exact. It was something to get speechless over.

Pirika held her hand over her mouth to hide her smile. Tamao looked at her friend and blushed. Pirika had just finished her meal when her brother and Tamao had gotten theirs. Ren had finished his also, but the two both chose to stay to keep the other girl and boy company.

"It's getting late. I wonder where Yoh is." Tamao worried. It was five thirty, and Yoh's detention had been let out at five. "He was supposed to meet us here."

Pirika looked at her friend. "Detention? How'd Yoh get a detention?" Tamao sighed as she told Pirika and the Chinese boy about Anna and the note and how Yoh had received his detention. Pirika whistled when the tale was over while Ren just shrugged and proceeded to steal Horo-horo's wanton soup. Pirika looked at her older brother and asked casually, "Did you give Yoh the right directions?"

Horo stopped what he was doing, which was stuffing a huge bite of chicken chow mein into his mouth. He stared at Pirika as though she had grown another three heads and announced she was pregnant with an alien baby.

Ren sighed as he leaned back in his chair. "Did you give Yoh any directions?"

Horo glared at the Chinese boy. Ren gave a small smirk.

Pirika glared at her brother and flew her empty cup at his head. It hit Horo and he ended up on the floor, choking on his food. Tamao kneeled next to him, worried he would choke to death. She helped him sit up and hit his back so he coughed up the food he was choking on. When it was all over, Horo-horo pointed an accusing finger at his sister and screamed, "You almost killed me!" Ignoring the scared look on the other customers' faces, he cried, "Why would you want to kill your only big brother, Pirika? I've only ever been a good brother to you!"

Pirika ignored her brother and said, "I'm going home now. I've got an essay due tomorrow."

"Pirika!" Horo-horo whined. "You can't just go out in the street and walk home! What if someone tries to…" he looks at her with big eyes and spoke in a small, strained voice. "…hurt you?"

The Ainu girl gave her brother a deadpan look. There was an awkward silence in the restaurant as no one dared to do or say anything. Pirika let out a small sigh before punching her brother. Then, as she watched her brother foam at the mouth on the floor, she turned to Ren and said in a sweet voice, "Ren will take me home, won't you, Ren?"

The Tao looked at the unconscious Ainu on the floor and shrugged. "I guess. I have nothing better to do." He put on a calm face, while inside, he was flipping out. Since when did he ever agree to escort Pirika home? What was in that food that caused them both to act so strangely?

As the two left the restaurant, Tamao had somehow managed to snap Horo out of his comatose state. They both sat down at the table and continued to eat their meal in silence. Tamao watched the two kittens before her. Ren had personally gone to the kitchen to receive a saucer of warm milk for the two animals, and they were quickly lapping the milk up eagerly. The girl's eyes softened at the sight and she turned to Horo-horo. "I want to thank you again, Horo-san. I think I'm falling in love with them." Tamao giggled softly as she turned back to the kittens.

The Ainu, on the other hand, was trying not to hyperventilate openly. The soft, caring, loving look she had glued to her face when she looked at him had surprised him so much, he felt like he had fallen in love with her all over again. He looked down at his food. Maybe this Chinese food had a 'special' ingredient in it. So special that he had daydreamed that Tamao had looked at them like they were really lovers.

_That couldn't be true. I would have tasted any special ingredient. _Horo-horo shrugged off his thoughts and figured that his food was some kind of aphrodisiac.

* * *

"Isn't it fun to walk home when the sun's setting, Ren?" Pirika asked, skipping along the road. Ren walked a meter away from her. A small smirk played on his face as he watched the Ainu girl.

Pirika turned around, shocking him. She smiled brightly at him before turning back to skip in the direction of her house again. Then, all of a sudden, she stopped her jolly skipping and looked to her left. Her pointer finger went to her lips in deep thought, her lower lip set in a small, barely visible pout. Her eyes clouded with longing and want. Ren followed her gaze, and almost fell to the ground in disbelief.

She was staring at the window of a small bakery, almost drooling at the sight of the small short cakes filled with whipped cream and strawberries.

"What are you doing?" Ren snapped. "I want to get home. And I can't until I get you home."

Pirika turned to face him, the smile that she had graced him with before showing nowhere on her face. "Shut up, Tao! I can do anything I want to. You can go home on your own. I only said you'd take me home so I could get away form Horo. If you don't want to be with me, then you can leave. I wonder why you're still here."

_Because I want to see you home, like a normal boyfriend would do after a date. But that isn't possible because I'll never be your boyfriend, and we'll never go on any date._ Ren frowned, but Pirika mistook it as something else other than self-reproach.

Pouting, Pirika said quietly, "In fact, you can just leave right now. I don't need you to escort me home. I can't stand being with you anymore."

Not admitting it to himself, but those last words of hers hurt. A lot. In fact, it hurt so much that Ren felt like he was tearing into tiny little pieces very slowly. Not showing his hurt, Ren gave a grunt and turned around to leave.

Pirika turned to leave herself. But there was something in her heart that made her head turn just in time to see the Chinese boy duck into the bakery that she had been looking so longingly at. She stood upright until he walked out several minutes later. He saw her and walked over to her, pulling something out of the bag he was carrying in his arms. Pirika gave a small gasp when she saw the short cake that she had been staring ravenously at only moments ago.

"Well, don't just stand there, take it." Ren grumbled. Pirika took it, thinking subconsciously, _He didn't insult me. He could have called me a stupid girl, but he didn't._

Pirika was speechless. "Why…wha…?"

"Despite what you may think, I'm not always so heartless." Pirika gave an inward gasp. She looked into his golden eyes, only to have him look away at the other people passing by them on the street. The Ainu girl suddenly had the huge urge to wrap her arms around him and hold him in her arms, to tell him that she didn't think he was heartless at all, that he was the most amazing man she had ever met, that she like-no, loved him…

He turned to face her again, his smirk showing the evil, cruel side she knew and hated. "Besides, I couldn't just leave a starving pig on the street, now could I?"

Pirika's face dropped, and she glared her most lethal glare at the Chinese boy. Ren gave a small, evil chuckle. He pulled something else from his bag and handed it to her. Pirika took the peach bun in his hand, her glare still present, but she let her fingers linger over his hand as she took the bun. They watched their fingers lag momentarily before both flushed, embarrassed.

"I'll see you…tomorrow." Ren nodded to her before he turned away.

The Ainu nodded solemnly, watching as he walked away. Then, on a sudden impulse, she yelled out, "Ren!" The boy whipped around eagerly-much too eagerly, Pirika mentally noted. "I…I don't think you're heartless." She saw him nod in the glare of the setting sun, as though he was assuring her. Assuring her that she wasn't foolish for feeling such fanciful feelings for him.

* * *

sorry, but since im obsessed w/ Ren/Pirika at the moment, i didn't include that much Anna/Yoh or Tamao/Horo.

so tell me what u think about this chapter! was it good? bad? funny? stupid? the most horrible and ridiculous thing u ever did read?

be nice & review please! if not, im not going to continue this story!


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